Jimmy Butler vs Klay Thompson: Who's the best two-way guard in the league?

#3 On-ball defense

The primary reason why Butler saw a rise in his minutes during the expiration of his rookie deal is because he's always been a bulldog on the defensive end. Standing at 6'7" and 220 pounds, the swingman turned his potential as a lockdown defender into a reality quite early in his career, securing a starting berth during his second season in the league.

Klay has a physical profile quite similar to Butler, but he doesn't have the same foot speed or athletic ability as the latter does. Even without those attributes, however, it is a travesty that the league hasn't recognized his defensive excellence with an All-Defensive Team selection.

Butler has 4, while the likes of Patrick Beverley, Danny Green and Avery Bradley have deprived Klay of an opportunity for selection in the past couple of seasons. It would almost be a wash between the two at this point, but Butler has typically been more successful at guarding a wider variety of players effectively through the course of their careers.

Edge: Jimmy